Food Drive Profile: Desmond’s song of community
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Your donations to The Salvation Army’s Meals 4 Minnesota Food Drive help people like Desmond – an everyday guy who works hard, loves music, and takes pride in being kind to others.
Desmond, 38, moved to St. Paul from New Orleans, La., with his family when he was in the second grade.
“I’ve been living here ever since,” he said. “I love this community."
Desmond lives a typical life. Every weekday, he gets up and goes to work at a hospital. Afterward, he comes home, goes for walks, and spends time with his family and friends.
“And I’m really, really into music,” he added. “I’ve been making music ever since I was a teenager. I do different projects and collaborations with people. I mix hip-hop, electronic, jazz – sounds I’m inspired by.”
The first time Desmond came to a Salvation Army food pantry was 10 years ago at our location on West 7th Street in St. Paul. He was with his parents and recalls the day vividly.
“I remember feeling a great sense of community because there were so many people at the food shelf from so many walks of life,” he said.
His recollection is accurate: The West 7th Salvation Army food pantry (pictured) serves hundreds of people every week, from those experiencing homelessness or job loss, to people like Desmond who have jobs but still need help from time to time. All receive fresh produce, meat, bread, and nonperishable items supplied by your donations and our partners.
Years later, Desmond started coming to the food pantry by himself. The place has been a blessing whenever money is tight.
“There were a few times when I was in between jobs, and coming to the food shelf helped quite a bit,” he said. “There are always bills to pay, rent, and food on top of that, so I have to be careful with budgeting. It's great to have something like this to fall back on when things go wrong.”
Desmond appreciates Salvation Army food pantries because he believes in being kind to others, no matter their position in life.
“This is a place where I can talk to different people and meet different people,” he said. “This is a place that feels like everybody belongs. A place to feel supported and respected. We should all be as kind as we can to each other.”
How to Help
Please support The Salvation Army’s Annual Food Drive by donating nonperishables, hosting a food drive, giving a cash donation, volunteering, or rounding up at Cub grocery stores. Your generosity will fill the stomachs of Minnesotans hungry for help.
Donate food in the Twin Cities by dropping off nonperishables such as pasta, peanut butter, and canned goods Feb. 27–March 27 at your local Salvation Army or at these partner locations:
Donate food in greater Minnesota by dropping off nonperishable foods Feb. 27–March 27 at your local Salvation Army Worship and Service Center.
Donate online: Help us feed local families by giving online. Your donation will be used to purchase food for Salvation Army food pantries nearest to your billing ZIP code. Now through March 27, your gift will have twice the impact for hungry Minnesota families thanks to a $100,000 challenge match given by a local family foundation to encourage others to give.
Round up at Cub: Shop at local Cub grocery stores in March and round up your purchase to support our food drive. Any amount you give will have a big impact when combined with other Cub shoppers who choose to contribute.
Host a food drive: Collect nonperishable foods from friends, neighbors, coworkers, church members, and others. Drop off the food you collect at your local Salvation Army or our partner locations. Download a Food Drive toolkit.
Volunteer: Do you have time to spare? Support our food drive by helping us unload delivery vehicles, weigh food, stock shelves, and more. Sign up to volunteer.
To learn more about The Salvation Army's Annual Food Drive, please visit Meals4MN.org.